The invention relates to an actuating device for a hand brake of a motor vehicle comprising a hand lever pivotably secured to a support bracket fixedly attached to the vehicle body, and movable against a bias of return spring, a drive element for an actuating mechanism of at least one wheel brake assembly and connected with the hand lever, and an automatically locking retaining mechanism for predetermined positioning of the actuating mechanism of the wheel brake assembly. The retaining mechanism is released with an auxiliary rod longitudinally displaceable in the hand lever against a bias of another return spring.
Usually a hand lever of an actuating device for a hand brake of a motor vehicle is formed as a two-arm lever pivotably mounted about a stationary axle secured on the support bracket which is fixedly attached to the vehicle body. The hand lever is connected with the drive element in the form of a pull rod or a Bowden cable which acts on the at least one wheel brake assembly. The two-arm lever is connected with the drive element by a lever crank arranged opposite a lever crank secured to the handle. Locking of the hand lever in its position corresponding to application of the brake is effected with a detent pawl which cooperates with a toothed segment secured to the vehicle body, is spring-biased in the latching direction, and is releasable with a spring-biased auxiliary rod longitudinally displaceable within the hand lever.
With such a construction of the actuating device for a hand brake, the hand lever, in an applied position of the brake assembly, remains in a more or less upright position and returns to its normal initial position when the hand brake is released. In many cases, the hand lever, especially when it is not in a fully upright positions, obstructs operation of a vehicle, which, e.g., is the case when the vehicle has a central gangway between the two front seats, or when there are three front seats which is, in particular the case in modern large limousines, or, finally, when in a sport vehicle the hand lever is located between a seat and a vehicle door. In order to eliminate, under certain circumstances, the hand lever which, when in a raised position, obstructs operation of the vehicle, hand brakes are used which permit placing the actuating device for the brake in a position where the hand lever does not obstruct vehicle operation. However, this type of brakes have a number of drawbacks which, primarily consist in that, as a rule, their manufacturing and mounting costs significantly exceed those of conventional hand lever-operated hand brakes.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is an actuating device for a hand brake of a motor vehicle in which the hand lever can be put in a tilted position, which is characterized by low manufacturing and mounting costs, and which insures a reliable operation of the brake in its applied position.